[1] The Princess Royal | B. Bridgerton

Chapter 17

"Let's hope that was it and not something more serious," Cora said and sighed. "Well, it is time to wake her."

"I already am," the Princess said, her maids' eyes grew wide as she opened her eyes and stared at the three. "I awoke the moment Fatima said that the Queen was asking for me."

"We must get you dressed, Your Royal Highness," Fatima said and Charlotte nodded.

The Princess got out of the bath, dried herself, and got dressed. Charlotte winced when Fatima tied up her corset.

"Lilia was right. I fell off Snow. Indeed," she sighed as she put on the sleeves of her dress. "A gunshot scared her."

"A gunshot?!" Fatima exclaimed.

"The Viscount and the Duke had their prides in the clouds and their heads up each other's arses. Miss Bridgerton and I went to stop them from getting themselves killed, but a gun was fired, scared Snow, and I fell. No one died, thank God for that. But my back is sore, but I'll live," she explained, and looked at her maids through the mirror with a smile. "Also... It apeares I am close to being engaged."

"That's fantastic!" Cora exclaimed with excitement.

"With Lord Bridgerton?" Lilia asked, but the Princess shook her head.

"With his brother, the second eldest of the family," she sighed contently. Her cheeks were turning red, and the smile on her face grew wide. "We spoke earlier, and... He said some sweet things, and that he was to ask my brother for my hand."

"Wonderful news, Your Royal Highness," Fatima smiled and sighed contently. "And you are all ready."

Charlotte walked out of her room with Fatima, Lilia, and Cora trailing behind her. As much as the Princess wanted to forget of the world and sleep the rest of the day, the thought of soon being engaged to Benedict kept her wide awake.

"Mama, I hear you asked for my..." She entered in the room and stopped talking the moment she laid eyes on the man inside the room. "Yo– You're he– here... Mr. Bridgerton..."

"Your Royal Highness," Benedict looked at her with a smirk and bowed his head.

"Wha– Well, what a..." She chuckled nervously. "What a nice surprise."

"Before we get into...that... I thought I asked you to help your cousin get betrothed with Miss Bridgerton," the Queen stated.

"I spoke very well of my cousin with Miss Bridgerton, I did my part. But with all due respect, Your Majesty, it is not yours or my place to decide Miss Bridgerton's husband, or fate," she stated with a small smile. "She chose the Duke. I'm sure my dear cousin can choose another beautiful young lady to be his princess."

"If it were up to the Queen, you would have been that 'another beautiful young lady' as you say, but..." George said with a small smile on his face. He was sitting next to his mother. "Mr. Bridgerton has asked for my permission to propose to you, dear sister."

Charlotte raised her eyebrows and her eyes grew wide. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. Then, she looked at Benedict, who was now standing next to her with a smirk.

"I know better than to answer for you, Sister," George told her sincerely. "Whatever you decide, you shall have my support."

Then, the Prince looked at his mother, who was staring in between the two. The Queen was about to object, since she remembered her daughter crying over one of the Bridgertons for whatever reason... But when she saw the look in Charlotte's eyes, and her smile... It all went away. Her daughter seemed happy. He is a nobleman, a friend of hers, and clearly a man of good education, manners and wealth. Practically he was close to everything she was looking for for her daughter's husband.